Tribute to David Kaplan David Kaplan passed away at the end of 2025. He was a long-standing TIPS Research Fellow, a collaborator on research, a colleague and a friend. He will be missed.   Dave was the Professor of Business Government Relations and Professor of Economics at the University of Cape Town. He worked extensively on industrial policy. From 2002 – 2003 he was chief economist of the Department of Trade and Industry; from 2004 – 2011 he worked part time as chief economist for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, in the Western Cape Provincial Government. His work…

Myriam Velia is a lead researcher at the School of Built Environment and Development Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She has a PhD in International Economics from Sussex University, UK. She has worked on a range of projects for a number of funders over the years. She is currently involved in sectoral and industrial research. Myriam was Head of Research at TIPS between February 2008 and March 2012.

Kate Philip is a development strategist. She has extensive experience in the development sector as a practitioner and in policy development, focused on issues of economic marginalisation, inequality, employment and enterprise development. From within TIPS, this has included providing support to GTAC in National Treasury on regional economic development strategies, to the Economies of Regions Learning Network, and to the Integrated Wild Coast Development Programme. She has provided advisory support to the South African Presidency on issues of economic marginalisation, and played a central role in the design and development of South Africa’s Community Work Programme. Through the International Labour…

Sandy Lowitt holds a Master of Commerce (Economics) from the University of the Witwatersrand. She worked as an economist for the government between 1995 and 2006. In addition to economic  policy, strategy and advisory work she also ran the strategic and day to day operations of the Blue IQ infrastructure programme which delivered projects such as the Gautrain, Innovation Hub and Automotive Supplier Park. As a researcher at TIPS she has focused on industrial policy and strategy completing projects for the Presidency, the DTIC and National Treasury. Currently Sandy leads  a team  focused on Just Transition Finance. Their work includes:…

Faizel Ismail has a PhD (Manchester, UK), MPhil (IDS, Sussex, UK), LLB (UKZN-Pietermaritzburg) and a BA (UKZN-Pietermaritzburg). His PhD for which he obtained an A grade pass is titled: An Empirical Analysis of Apartheid South Africa in the GATT: 1947 to 1994. Faizel is currently an Adjunct Professor at the UCT School of Economics. He is also an advisor/consultant (part-time) to the Department of Trade and Industry on International Trade and a Special Envoy on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). He was appointed as the Chairperson of the International Trade and Administration Commission (ITAC) for a three-year term (2015-2018).…